© 2010 Linda Kerr
Note: The info below is exactly what I email or mail to people who have registered for FallFling. It will tell you more about what to expect when you arrive, what to bring for potluck, and give you some guidelines. Please read the entire thing very carefully. You'll notice that some (but not all) of the info below is also found in the Rules and the Site Info - let's just say I believe in redundancy. I figure if you read a particularly important item two or three times, maybe you'll remember it! :)
Arrival & Check-In Procedures
Festival Schedule
Trash/Leave No Trace
Driving On-Site
Camping, RV Info
Parking - Where To Park, Where NOT To
Fires, Fire Safety, Firewood
Policy on Animals
Meals, Water, Showers, Pot-Luck Info
Safety, Security, Contacting Someone On-Site
Volunteering
Other Stuff
Stop at Registration Booth: All cars must STOP at the registration booth upon entering
the site, and again every
single time you re-enter the site. You must stop to have every person in your car checked in
(again). Absolutely NO ONE will be permitted to enter the site for any length of time whatsoever
without having properly registered and paid. Anyone caught doing so will be immediately
escorted from the site. If you are bringing something to someone already on-site, they will need
to meet you at the registration booth. If someone is paying for you later, you cannot enter until
your admission is paid by them. This rule is *not* negotiable.
Wristbands: Each and every adult, child (except for non-mobile babies) and properly
registered pet will get a
wristband which must be worn so that it is visible at all times. You will
receive ONE wristband only; if yours breaks, you can come to Festival Headquarters (Bio-Buzz
vending booth) to have it
repaired. If you lose your wristband, you will have to pay full admission fee ($60) again to be
allowed to remain on-site. Again, this rule is *not* negotiable.
Early Arrivals: Please plan to arrive on *Thursday* at noon or later! My staff and a few
vendors
who need to set up early are allowed to arrive on Wednesday with prior permission. The gate
will be locked prior to Thursday at noon, and any people who want to arrive before that time
**MUST MAKE PRIOR ARRANGEMENTS** and must
pay $10/person/day at the gate upon arrival. Keep in mind that FallFling starts THURSDAY at
noon (and *ends* on Sunday at noon) - people arriving early put a drain on electricity, propane,
gas, water, etc., plus just make it hard for the site owners to do their mowing and
maintenance.
Friday: Classes and workshops begin on Friday morning.
Saturday:Classes and workshops continue. That evening we'll have an open ritual to
celebrate the dance of the Seasons. We'll top off the evening with music, dancing, and general
revelry.
Sunday: The festival ends Sunday at 12:00 noon EDT. ALL PEOPLE MUST BE
OFF-SITE BY 3:00 PM ON SUNDAY!!! We'll need people to help clean up, starting early that
morning.
LNT: If you'd like to read up on LNT, here are some good LNT principles & ideas as
they apply to Burning Man specifically: http://www.burningman.co
m/environment/resources/lnt.html. Prepare ahead of time; remove all excess packaging from
things, bring things in large containers rather than several small ones, prepackage your food
before you leave home, plan to recycle some of your trash (glass, cans) later, check your camp
and surrounding areas for MOOP (Matter Out of Place) very carefully before you leave.
Don't Park in the Roadways: Most of the roads at Cherokee Farms are pretty obvious
and are easy to keep clear. But some of the roads, especially through the woods, are rather
narrow. ALL ROADS MUST BE KEPT CLEAR ALL WEEKEND!!! This is so emergency
vehicles (i.e., large fire trucks) can get in and out. If roads are not kept clear, cars will be towed!
A worst-case scenario is that the fire folks could shut the whole festival down. Very bad news.
So do your part, and keep your cars and tents out of these narrow roads.
Driving Around On-Site: You can drive in most anywhere to unload, but then you must
go park your car in the parking area. Do NOT use your car as transportation on-site during the
festival.
Places NOT to Park: ALL cars must be moved to the parking area
after unloading: the only exception is vendors with prior permission to park at their booths (these
vehicles are anchored for the duration of the festival). DO NOT park your car in a no-parking
area, then leave it for any length of time! If you must park your car temporarily
somewhere (as to unload), leave your keys in the ignition so we can move it in an
emergency.
Fire Safety: Use common sense with your campfires and tiki torches. After battling a
forest fire at a previous festival, we're a bit paranoid about fires. If you light a fire, stay with it. If
you light a fire, stay with it. Keep a fire extinguisher or bucket of water by your fire at all times.
Rake away all leaves and debris from around the fire. DO NOT build up a big, roaring fire and
leave it! (Leaving a small fire or bed of coals for a short time is okay.) Be sure that tiki torches
are not close to overhanging limbs, and are not placed where they will light a tent on fire if they
fall over.
Firewood: Any firewood stacked at the drum circle is FOR the drum circle. If you plan
to have a fire at your campsite (or in the Pavilion), PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN FIREWOOD!
You may also pick up downed wood on-site.
Meals:All meals are provide-your-own; you'll need to bring food and cookware,
and grill or campstove (or buy meals from any food vendors we may have). Please bring a cooler
for your food - there are no storage facilities in the Kitchen for food or drinks.
Water/Showers: There is running water both at the showers and at the Pavilion for
washing (bring your own soap and sponge). You should still plan on bringing some water for
your campsite - 3-5 gallons. There are showers on-site, but please be aware that they may or may
not work at any given moment (although they usually do), and they may or may not have hot
water. The water is pumped in from the pond, and the run-off goes straight back onto the ground
underneath the building, so please use biodegradable, earth-friendly soap. The showers are heated
by propane, which means the supply is not infinite (please be considerate in your usage of the hot
water!).
Getting Help: Festival headquarters is at the Bio-Buzz vendor tent. There are several
people on-site who have cell phones in case of an emergency; for all other calls, please go to the
corner convenience store and use the pay phone.
Other Legal Stuff: Please be careful about whom you choose to bring to the festival
with
you, as they may not appreciate the atmosphere, or potentially cause problems. Make sure you
know the person well, and can vouch for their good behavior! Along those lines, rules about no
illegal substances, theft, threat to or endangerment of others, and other infractions of mundane
law will be strictly enforced. Underage drinking (have your ID!), gross drunken behavior,
unwanted sexual attention (harrassment), and sexual escapades with someone underage will not
be tolerated. Any infracture of these rules will result in expulsion from the festival with no
refund, and possible arrest, if appropriate. Parents, watch your kids, especially teenagers, at all
times. Finally, FallFling is a private function, and is off-limits to media personnel acting in a
professional capacity. This is to ensure confidentiality for our participants.
Emergency Contacts: I will be at home in Auburn just until the afternoon before the
festival begins, and
after that time you can leave a message on my cell phone (334-787-9332), or just text me. I try to
check my phone messages and email ONCE A DAY from Thursday-Saturday during festivals,
but I can't guarantee that my phone or email will work. Therefore,
you are free to text (best), call me, or email, but there is no guarantee I'll get it, and certainly no
guarantee I'll be able to respond quickly or at all.
Herald Patrol: We'll have heralds circulating the festival grounds with walkie-talkies
throughout the weekend, making announcements, checking for unattended fires that might be a
safety hazard, reminding people to move their cars after unloading, making sure the roadways
are
kept clear, and basically watching for problems that need reporting to the Security personnel
These heralds are essential please volunteer for a shift when you arrive!
Radical Self-Reliance: This means taking responsibility for yourself and the people
around you.
Come prepared. This is not an event where all the home comforts are supplied, or even available.
You are expected to bring everything you think you will need: clothing, food, water, shelter,
toiletries, first aid, toilet paper, etc. You *must* take home your own trash. You must clean up
after yourself *everywhere* on site, and be sure your camp and surroundings are free of MOOP.
There is no one there to clean up behind you or do things for you.